Ilkay Gundugan slams 'brutally disappointing' World Cup VAR decision that would have stood in the Premier League

Former Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan has slammed VAR after it ruled out a decisive goal from Jonathon Tah, which led to the penalty shootout that dumped them out of the tournament.

Germany is heading home from the USA with an extremely underwhelming Round of 32 finish, following a shock defeat to Paraguay.

The South American side continued to find vulnerabilities in a leaky German defence before being pegged back to take the tie to penalties.

Despite missing two match-winning chances from the spot, the tie was ultimately decided as Jonathan Tah blazed his effort over the bar and Paraguay's Jose Canale thumped home the winner.

But it all could have been avoided if Tah's extra-time goal stood.

The German centre-back banged home a backpost header from an inswinging corner in the 102nd minute, which looked like it would have booked their spot in the Round of 16.

However, VAR intervened, and the referee ruled that there was enough contact between the Paraguayan goalkeeper and Waldemar Anton to constitute a foul.

The decision was ridiculed by BBC pundit Alan Shearer, and now Gundogan has taken to social media to claim that Premier League teams have been doing this all year without retribution, and the 'brutally disappointing' decision was wrong.

Gundogan, Klopp, and Shearer blast costly VAR decision

Taking to X after Germany's loss, former national team captain Gundogan lashed out at the application of VAR at the World Cup.

"Today's team performance definitely doesn't need any sugarcoating... But what the hell was that VAR decision?" he quizzed.

"In the Premier League, they'd just give a weary smile over something like that - especially taking back a decision.

"Of course, it was brutally disappointing too. Unfortunately, we failed to convince over 120 minutes ourselves"

Gundogan, who has 82 caps for Germany, was just one of many high-profile figures who disagreed with the decision.

In fact, the same sentiment was given by Jurgen Klopp, who pointed out that Arsenal have been doing this in the Premier League to great success.

"If that's a disallowed goal, then Arsenal wouldn’t be English champions. They scored 60% of their goals like that," Klopp reportedly said in commentary on German TV.

Although these 'blockers' are something that we have seen popularised in the Premier League, FIFA announced that there would be stricter rules on grappling and contact from set-pieces like corners, something that England had to prepare for.

Still, Alan Shearer was left furious with the decision, which might prove more definitive than the German pleas.

"It was Anton that gives him a little nudge, and it’s just whether it’s enough to convince the referee that it’s a big enough block for him to rule this out. VAR thinks so. Not for me. I don’t agree with that decision at all," he said on the BBC coverage.

"The keeper knows he’s had a slight touch and falls to the ground far too easily.

"Yes, there’s contact, but this is a contact sport, and there are about 13 or 14 bodies in and around the six-yard box. The keeper knows he’s had the touch, and the keeper buys it. Not for me. I don’t agree with that."

"Very, very soft, that is. Very Soft. I don't blame him at all [Nagelsmann is shown a yellow. I don't agree with it. Yes there's a little touch, but not enough to make the 6ft5 goalkeeper fall down like that. He's had the referee, and he's had VAR. I'm really surprised."

Paraguay rode their luck with the VAR decision, but sometimes fortune favours the brave.